Silent offices get me down. I don't know if it is the atmosphere of intense concentration or the impossibility of having a private chat about exactly what happened when Jane from accounts and Tom from downstairs went to the pub (I know!), but either way pin-drop quiet is just not for me. Now that does not mean I would be happy to work on a trading floor. I am not, after all, insane. But is a gentle hum of activity too much to ask? I don't think so, and luckily the evidence backs me up. Not only would I be more productive in a more relaxed office, I'd be happier. And that has got to be good for everyone (apart from, perhaps, Jane and Tom).
Talking of office affairs, it seems the younger generation are worried they will miss out because there won't be an office to go to. Apparently 60% of 14- to 18-year-olds say that, although cash comes first, the biggest reason for wanting to work is to socialise. Indeed, one in five say that flexible working practices reduce a sense of community at work. I can see their point, but I would still prefer to be working from my bed and socialising on Facebook than sitting bolt upright in a sea of desks, socialising … on Facebook. Come to think of it, those teens are going to get such a shock - it is all virtual networking now. Watercoolers are so 2005.
I am beginning to think email is past it too. Where Ping! Ping! Ping! used to signal flirting, gossip and catching up with friends, today it is more likely to signal further instructions from the boss. It is no surprise, then, that a survey conducted by Office Angels has found that we workers are becoming tired of receiving and writing emails. One in 10 of us now believe our working relationships have suffered because of lack of face-to-face contact, while 25% admit we spend too long reading or writing emails. Office Angels suggest, reasonably, that we spend some time actually going to see people. But whatever possessed them to call this "new" phenomenon the "facemail day"?
Reinventing the wheel is, of course, an essential office skill. So hats off to the Irish Times, which has announced with much fanfare the return of BYOL (bringing your own lunch) as a cunning way to beat the credit crunch. Irish packed lunches are not to be sniffed at. Forget the tuna sarnie and packet of Tayto crisps combo - Dubliners are tucking into roast chicken, pizza, lasagne, risotto and soup. It all sounds delicious, but I have one question: how long until someone starts complaining about the state of the microwave? I just don't think they can keep it up. Give it six months and they will all be back at Pret.
